Adytum Sanctuary Life: The Power of Beauty, By Kat Carroll, NTP, Associate Editor Health Freedom News

Stonecarver Walter Arnold's 'Mirth'

Mirth greets me as I step out of the Turkish Steam Sauna on the heels of hot tubbing in light rain, under Adytum’s signature orange umbrellas with a great glass of Pinot Noir… We left for the City at 10 a.m. for an 11:30 entrance to The Body Beautiful at the Portland Art Museum, stopping at South Park for an early dinner and were back to the hot tub at Adytum before sunset making this an enjoyable, inspiring day trip...

But for now…let the visual feast begin at the Museum!

Easing into the Beauty of Adytum and Nature in the Great Pacific Northwest

The Body Beautiful brochure assures us that “The exhibition features more than 120 exquisite and priceless objects from the British Museum’s famed collection of Greek and Roman Art. Iconic marble and bronze sculptures, vessels, funerary objects, and jewelry are among the treasures that explore the human form, some dating back to the second millennium BC.”

Aphrodite, 4th Century BC

It truly is one of the best exhibitions we've seen and since it’s on until January you may wish to enjoy being surrounded by the World of ancient Greece, which certainly speaks to me with its grace,beauty, and celebration of the human form.

Polykleitos is famous for his so-called "canon of proportion." He used mathematical formulas to develop cannon rules for rendering the human figure and embodied the visualization of values of truth, beauty, and goodness. These sculptures were beautiful and morally sound unlike so much of what passes as art today .

Physical and moral excellence were portrayed in the male nudes' athletic poses. Females were clothed but the shape of their bodies evident beneath the fabric leaving little to the imagination. The drape of the fabric animates the sculptures and they may stride out of antiquity at any moment.

Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty, circa 360 BC, was installed in a temple. She is stripped for bathing casting the viewer in the role of voyeur.

Athletic sculptures were commissioned to commemorate victories. Since many originals have been lost; the Romans copied Greek sculptures.

Discobolos, Roman, 2nd Century AD

Amphora are two handled jugs; a commonly shaped Greek vase. Some had lids but few survived. They stored wine, honey, milk, water, and the ashes of the deceased. I love the way everyday objects reflected literature, myths, and exquisiteness. The Grecian principles have guided my own decorating at Adytum where everything chosen here is for comfort, convenience, and beauty.

Amphora, Beauty in the Everyday Items

Herakles (Greek spelling) was the first superhero. Dionysus was the God of the grape harvest, wine, and the art of pleasure vs. war. He was also behind Greek theatre. The slide show is the best way to share this with us. Donn was photographer for the most part today and the descriptions appear after each photo in the slideshow.

A Nymph Escapes from a Satyr

Two figures created a complex composition in a latter period of Greek sculpture and were able to be viewed from both sides.

Enter a World Rich with Mythology and Fantasy

While hiking and a picnic with me can be considered the cheapest of dates, I’m not a cheap date when it comes to the Museum Stores and the fine dining nearby.

Abandoning Myself to Stunning, Rich Visual Stimulation

I abandon myself to rich visual stimulation that feeds my senses as I view the store from the ticket area where I checked my coat.

Donn with Pan at the Portland Museum Store

Bronze sculptures of Pan, Socrates, Plato, and an unknown woman holding a bowl, and a Dragon- my current obsession- will come to grace the Adytum breakfast table in a new vignette, and you will love them too and be inspired by their quiet, powerful spirits. I love art within reach during meals; art that can be stroked and fondled while one dines. We caress cool bronze and trace the fingers of the sculptor in his inspired state, feeling the vibration of creation...memorizing it, becoming One with great art.

Red-Figured Lekythos, ca. 365-350 BC

I should have been born in Italy or France where centuries of art surround at every turn…life needs to be about truth, beauty, and goodness as does art. We need to be confronted with it. What we behold we become. One of the functions of art is to challenge as well as inspire. Tom Wolfe, author of Bonfire of the Vanities and The Painted Word says of Frederic Hart’s work, which we have at Adytum in Fragment 2 and The Messenger, “… it is the idealization of the human form, the glorification of both heroic individuals and the heroic possibilities of mankind.” Good art elevates!

We are one of the few B&B/Retreats in the World showing museum-quality fine art for the pleasure of our guests. With limited amounts in the Ex Nihilo series, you may never see these fragments or full body sculptures of Frederick Hart's unless they end up in museum upon the owner's death. Most of them remain in private family collections, so this is a rare opportunity indeed at Adytum Sanctuary (www.adytumsanctuary.com) to experience fine art on the scale of Da Vinci or Michelangelo.

We are in the beginning stages of bringing fine art to Adytum Galleries in a retail fashion. Don Hatfield (www.donhatfield.com), Bill Hillman (www.mansionglass.com), Leslie Clark (www.nomadgal.com) are some that are forming the foundation of this budding art gallery at Adytum Sanctuary as well as local artists. While one of Don Hatfield’s originals may set you back a substantial sum, a giclee is affordable, and that we have. This form enables us to surround ourselves with fine art from noble spirits although we do have Don Hatfield's original works as well. Check out the giclee process here if you’re unfamiliar: http://painting.about.com/cs/printing/a/gilceeprints_2.htm.

Frederick Hart (http://www.hartcollection.com/sculptures.asp) said of fellow artists of the same school of thought, a ‘commitment of their work to the inherent mystery and beauty of life has been the hallmark of the great ages of art—and will be again.” We met some amazing artists sketching an ancient statue together- it was perfectly rendered....Kevin asked us to share their website link with you: http://www.temporaryartists.org/

Kevin and Cassie from www.temporaryartists.org & www.lyoncraft.org Sketching Great Art On Site

Frederick’s widow, Lindy Hart signed his book for Donn and me in 2006 when we went to their mansion, Chesley, which she shared with Frederick until he died. She wrote, “With gratitude for your understanding of the power of beauty.” Does that not say it all?

Frederic Hart's Russian-Inspired Mansion in VA Where We Attended "The Last Waltz" in 2006

We must surround ourselves with beauty, love, and peace. Strive to create beauty in our surroundings, in our ‘self’ which is the literal temple of our Creator. It is not vain. On the contrary, it is full of nobility, respect, and honor. We need to remember who we are and the elevated place we hold in the Universe. You know it’s true. And the beauty of the naked body…male or female tells us so. Ps. 139: 14 (my favorite Psalm...) I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. We are all beautiful, amazing works of fine art! Each one…

Lindy Hart Modeled for Ex Nihilo, Fell in Love & Married Rick

The Greeks celebrated the body beautiful and so did Frederic Hart whose Creation Sculpture graces the entrance to the Washington National Cathedral, the 6th largest cathedral in the World. His inspired workwas completely ignored by the media who preferred what Rick Hart called modern sculpture, “Turds left on the lawn in front of box buildings.” Ugly, meaningless sculpture passed off as art reflects the mind of the society that creates it. We need to return to a commitment to truth, beauty, and goodness in art.

Frederick Hart Won the Commission to Design the Creation Sculptures at the Entry to the WA Natn'l Cathedral

Rick Hart died in his 50’s of a lung disorder, probably due to breathing the Carrera marble while he sculpted on the Washington National Cathedral. The Mirth and Greenman, outside our Turkish Steam Sauna, were carved by Rick Hart's fellow sculptor, Walter Arnold (www.stonecarver.com). They both worked on the Cathedral in icy conditions creating indescribable beauty for all time. We've gone on to collect more of Walter’s work, dragons and gargoyles.

Celebrating our 2006 Purchase of Fragment 2; One of 50 in the World and Now at Adytum Sanctuary Gallery

Frederick Hart’s was a story of rags to riches, rising from a lowly mail carrier who slept in a freezing garage with two German Shepherds to keep him warm at night. One day, he was allowed to show his stuff…He came out of the proverbial gate carving a Gargoyle that put him into competition with the top 300 that vied for the position of creating the sculpture that would adorn one of great cathedrals of the World. Not since Michelangelo’s Finger of God have we seen a creation sculpture until Rick Hart created a maquette for Ex-Nihilo, Out of Nothingness…Out of the Mind of God and he won up against established stone carvers from Italy!

Fragment 2 Maquette; Scale Model- Adytum Sanctuary has one of 50 in the World

He later said the inspiration for this great work came to him in a dream from The Messenger (also at Adytum), an angel that visited him in the night and showed him the work that would later grace the entry of the Washington National Cathedral, and send me into pure chills when I saw it between the creation of Sun and the Moon and the Conversion of Paul and Peter and Adam in the middle.

In Frederick Hart's Private Studio; Peter at the Moment of Conversion

The moment I saw this work of this great sculptor on the cathedral, whose work has been compared on the order of Michelangelo and Da Vinci, my body was covered with chills and tears spontaneously ran down my cheeks. His work is inspired and channeled from Heaven itself and the goal is to remind us of our greatness created in the image of God, and that we are surrounded by angels, “ministers of fire, sent to minister to us.”

Remember Who You Are...

We have such great need to remember who we are, particularly when our governments seek to degrade our health with fluoride, GMO’s, radiation, EMF’s and the like and control us to the point of seeking to crush our independent, proud spirits. There has never before such an assault upon mankind to create infertility in us, to riddle us with disease and cancer…The mind is more powerful than all of these things and we must have a firm grasp of the Reality we exist in: beauty, truth, and goodness- made in the image of the Creator. If there was ever a time to stand firm, it is now and the great art of the Greeks, Romans, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Frederick Hart remind us of our divine heritage.

The Body Beautiful is on until January 6, 2013; portlandartmuseum.org. $20 each adult. 1219 SW Park Avenue, Portland, OR 97205.

Heirloom Tomatoes in Season with Buffalo Mozzarella

Leaving the Museum and heading to one of our favorite Portland restaurants featuring local, fresh foods, South Park is a serious wine bar known for its extensive wine list. South Park is juxtaposed against Tart Berry, eclectic frozen yogurt shop where you can top yogurt with 'Halloween on a table' if you're so inclined. Donn got sugar-free New York Cheesecake...

South Park In Portland, Local and Fresh

South Park- from the first bite it was a mouth-gasm. Pickled shallots atop local Steelhead. French music playing and good Temprinilla. Donn had butternut-squash ravioli. Around $75 with tip.

Donn's Inner Child Coming Out

Tart Berry Frozen Yogurt for a sugar-free, maltitol sweetened dessert for Donn, .46 cents an ounce in a place full of inspiring quotes, crazy decor, and a funky atmosphere kids of all ages love.